NameJohn HOCKNELL
Birth1920
Death12 Mar 1941 Age: 21
FatherFrederick HOCKNELL (~1887-1926)
MotherHetty Doris MACHIN (1896-1970)
Military notes for John HOCKNELL
Rank:Sergeant
Trade:Pilot
Service No:748123
Date of Death:12/03/1941
Age:21
Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 256 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Panel 2.
Cemetery:STOKE-ON-TRENT CREMATORIUM
Son of Hetty Doris Brown, of Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent.


No.256 Squadron was a home based defensive night fighter squadron from 1940 until 1943, when it moved to the Mediterranean. The squadron was reformed on 23 November 1940 at Catterick, and was equipped with the turret-armed Defiant. It became operational with these aircraft in February 1941, defending south-west England. In March it was moved to Merseyside, where in July some Hurricanes appeared.
Airfields No. 256 Squadron flew from:
• RAF Catterick, Yorkshire from 23rd November 1940 (re-formed. Defiant I)
• RAF Pembrey, Camarthenshire from the 4th January 1941
• RAF Colerne, Wiltshire from the 6th February 1941
Det at RAF Middle Wallop
• RAF Squire's Gate, Lancashire from the 26th March 1941 (Defiant II, Beaufighter If)
Last Modified 5 Jun 2015Created 1 Aug 2017 using Reunion for Macintosh